December 20, 2006 - 17:40 AMT
Assuming EU Presidency Merkel Changed Her Mind on Presenting Ultimatum to Turkey
December 20 in Helsinki during a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially assumed presidency in the European Union. Less than two weeks before Germany assumes the EU presidency, the country wants the ailing EU treaty back on track as some warn that indecision is a "warning sign that Europe is paralyzed." German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she hoped the ailing EU constitution would be put "back on track" and called on members of the bloc to focus on their common interests. "We hope to get this project (the EU constitution) back on track, but we know that we must take many factors into account and we must consider how to proceed between now and 2009 (when European elections are scheduled) so that the European Union regains its ability to act," Merkel said.

"I would consider it an historical failure if we do not succeed in working out the substance of the constitutional treaty by the time the next European elections take place," Merkel said in her speech, which was meant to set out the aims of Germany's EU presidency which starts in January,'' she said when addressing the Bundestag. The chancellor added that she and the German government would work "intensively" during the six-month presidency "so that such a treaty, based on our common values, can go into force." Merkel acknowledged that the issue of the constitution would not be settled by the end of Germany's turn at the EU helm but said she hoped that with its support the treaty would be revived and put back on track. "We have the task at the end of our presidency to set a roadmap" for the future implementation of the constitution, she said. The constitution was designed to provide the institutional framework for an EU which will grow to 27 member states when Bulgaria and Romania join on Jan.1. But it suffered a severe blow when French and Dutch voters rejected it last year. erkel also urged EU states to work closer together, saying that a united Europe could achieve success, but a divided Europe would weaken the strength of the bloc. On the thorny issue of Turkey's bid for EU membership, which is expected to be tackled yet again during the summit in Brussels, Merkel said that the EU had decided on a "resolute but prudent" course of action in its standoff with Turkey over Cyprus. "The EU has reacted (to Turkey), in my opinion, in a way that is both resolute and prudent…prudent in that it is always made clear to Turkey that is worth it to continue working on reforms," Merkel said. Thus, assuming the EU presidency the German chancellor changed her mind to present an ultimatum to Turkey, reports Deutsche Welle.